Entdecke DE: rare wild animals in Germany

The Entdecke DE series takes you on a tour through Germany. This time we go in search of wild animals. A selection.

22.10.2015

dpa/Patrick Pleul - Wild Animals

Bison: Although it had almost become extinct in Germany, the bison is now indigenous again in the Rothaar Mountains in Hesse. In 2013 a rehabilitation centre released a group of lowland bison to live wild in the countryside. Since then several animals have been born. Their numbers have increased to roughly 20.

Beaver: Over 25,000 beavers are now again living in Germany. They have even moved back into cities like Frankfurt and Berlin. Conservationists are pleased about this, because beavers clear the way for the renaturation of waterways and open the door for other species like amphibians and birds.

Lynx: The shy lynx has returned to Germany almost unnoticed and is now being seen again in the Harz Mountains and the Bavarian Forest. Estimating their numbers is difficult because the range of the animals can cover up to 400 square kilometres.

See eagle: The sea eagle, the largest European bird of prey with a wing span of up to 2.6 metres, has become native again mainly in Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg. 600 breeding pairs are found there today.

Wolf: Wolves have been living freely in the wild again in Germany since 2000. They found their way back to the country from Eastern Europe. Today their numbers have grown to 25 packs with roughly 200 animals, mainly in eastern states. From the nature conservation perspective this is a great success, but arable and livestock farmers are not so enthusiastic.